"Lulu inspires lingering..."

David Farley at New York Magazine had these lovely things to say about Lulu:


"Chef Eric Fleischer, late of Bobo, serves up affordable Euro-accented small plates and big-portioned entrées at this candlelit gastropub. Lulu inspires lingering, and the narrow dining room is flanked by .date-friendly two-person booths and a long bar where neighborhood regulars congregate for cocktails like watermelon chili (vodka, watermelon juice, hot chili flakes) and pints of Guinness. Fleischer’s food is eclectic and filling; A tennis-ball-size crab cake, studded with bits of jalapeño and pineapple, sits over light avocado purée, and a favored Roman street snack, risotto fritters, comes with delectably creamy interiors."
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Another good review

Shecky's is known to love a wild party, so we're honored they understood the more lowkey, nonetheless exciting, vibe at Lulu with this fantastic review:



"Lulu': Don’t get turned off by the Vespas parked out front—this is not your typical trendy NoLita haunt. Charming and rustic, Lulu’ feels like a secret neighborhood retreat with refined but affordable
French-American food and refreshing cocktails. Wooden tables, a long bar, vintage photographs, Edison bulb lighting, and a retro soundtrack set a relaxing mood for the mostly downtown and Euro crowd. Nibble on chef Eric Fleischer’s menu of snacks like risotto fritters or roasted brussel sprouts, or dive into savory entrees like roasted duck or an Angus beef burger with a hint of anise. Mixologist Greg Seider’s fresh fruit cocktails, like the Tequila Mocking Bird (Partida tequila, pineapple, lime, cardamon, agave syrup, and Serrano chile) will set the tone for hours of sipping and watching the fashionable passersby."
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"Good wine is a necessity of life for me" - Thomas Jefferson

If love of wine is good enough for a Founding Father, it's good enough for us! The owners of Lulu agree - they are true wine enthusiasts (as we've alluded to in the past), especially Lia, who shows a unique passion for all tannins and grapes. We've heard her recommend a white on the blog in the past, but now that it's getting chillier, we asked Lia what are her favorite reds on the menu?

"I love the La Lumia Torreforte Nero d'Avola 2000 from the most southern part of Sicily. It's all volcanic soil in its rusticity and Sicilian sun in its ripe fruits."

She also shows a love for the Hans Fahden Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve 2000, from Napa Valley, which is grown by the slope of the old volcano, Mount St. Helena in Calistoga, California. Lia likes it becauses its "one of the few bold Cabernets with a dry finish" and reminds her of the European wines she loves.

Come try Lia's recommendations to Lulu (235 Mulberry Street, in case you've forgotten), or we've uploaded the wine menu (pictured left), so you can do some research yourself and have a wine that suits you to a tee!
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Smokin' Salmon

Gayot, the travel guide, has posted a wonderful review of Lulu and its fantastic food from Eric Fleischer:

"Helmed in the kitchen by former Bobo sous chef Eric Fleischer, this NoLIta gastropub-like eatery is as much a destination for its low-lit aesthetics, its long bar and inventive cocktail list as its French-influenced cuisine. A long list of small plates is highlighted by the jalapeño-laced crab cake (wading in a pool of avocado purée); the salad of beets, pistachios, chèvre and wild arugula; and a smooth foie gras torchon. Entrées are substantial and are presented in a refreshingly no-frills manner: a large bowl of pasta puttanesca satisfies, but the sleeper hit of an ingredient is chili flakes which make for a surprising kick. The plus-size piece of Scottish salmon manages to be flaky and juicy while the steak frites are done just right (slightly charred on the outside and red on the inside). European beers are on tap and the wine list mostly sticks to France."

If that isn't enough to make you want that Scottish salmon, served deliciously with creamy caulliflower, ramps, and raisins, certainly the picture to your right will pique your interest and your appetite.
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Gotham Magazine's Hottest 100 Bachelors!

Luigi Comandatore, an owner of Lulu, along with sister Lia and brother-in-law Dario Milanin, has been named one of Gotham Magazine's Hottest 100 Bachelor's in the "Most Hospitable" group of the list. Here's what they had to say about Mr. Comandatore:

"Owner, restaurant chain Bread, and new hotspot Lulu. Insider info: Travels the entire month of August each year. Buzzes around the city on a Vespa."

All of which is true. He's in good company too, and he has the biggest picture on the page (bottom left). Go pick up a copy of the issue. Gotham Magazine has good taste!
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"We may live without friends; we may live without books. But civilized men cannot live without cooks. " - Owen Meredith

I'm lucky enough to know the chef, Eric Fleischer. But for those of you who love the food at Lulu, it might just be nice to get to know him yourself. Eric Fleischer is an American chef who has spent time honing his skills at restaurants in San Francisco, Paris, France and New York City.
His experience includes fine dining restaurants like Lucas Carton and Jaques Cagna in Paris, France as well as Gilt at the Palace Hotel in New York.

Eric was employed as the sous chef at Bobo in Manhattan’s West Village when the owners of the restaurant Bread offered him the position of chef de cuisine at a restaurant they were re-imagining - Lulu!

Since taking the helm in the kitchen, Eric’s understanding of the American palate and his willingness to be innovative have helped Lulu charter a new direction toward elegant comfort food. Eric strives to bring out the simple flavors in fresh, locally sourced ingredients. His menus are seasonal and incorporate his interpretation of casual French-American Bistro food.

Lulu keeps the kitchen visible and open to diners, so next time you're in for a meal, make sure to say "Hello" to Eric and let him give you a personal "Bon Apetit!"
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Lulu Party Photos - September 25, 2008

The Party at Lulu was fantastic, we hope you came, we hope you stayed (it went well past midnight), and, most of all, we hope you ate and drank. The music was fantastic from Peter Makebish, the drinks were mixed with perfection by Greg Seider, and Eric Fleischer's food couldn't have been better. So thank you to owners Luigi Comandatore and Dario Milanin (pictured left) and Lia Comandatore for throwing the fete. Our resident photog Courtney snapped all the revelers and here are their pictures - a photo book of friends and family. Just click "Read More"!







DJ Peter Makebish



Chef Eric Fleischer























































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Snack time

Lulu offers a menu of tapas and entrees - you decide whether you'd like to put your culinary focus on main courses or sample a few smaller plates, or both! Lulu's Snacks menu is varied (big but not overwhelming) and we'd love to give you a guided tour through some of the options.

The asparagus are delightfully paired with the pinkest of prosciutto (a cure-dryed ham) and then drizzled with Béarnaise sauce, a French sauce of clarified butter and egg yolk flavored with tarragon and shallots to add the slightest, and most effective, kick of taste.

The risotto fritters are deliciously fried orbs of risotto rice, that Italian sticky rice that everyone seems to love. Risotto, cooked with wine, is rich and creamy but the fried shell gives it a healthy resistance and texture. Its the most elegant comfort food around.

Last but certainly not least is our famous Foie Gras Au Torchon (the Foie Gras of our dreams). Foie Gras is, of course, goose and duck liver, loved the world over for its texture and taste, but chef Eric Fleischer takes it the extra mile with his Torchon technique. We aren't experienced chefs, but this special step involves wrapping the Foie Gras in cloths and marinating for around three days. It might be lengthy, but its certainly worth it.

Try a few, stay a while, try them all.
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Attention all Daytrippers

We've spent blog entry after blog entry talking about all the wonderful dinner items at Lulu that maybe we've neglected Lulu's delicious brunch, offered on Saturdays and Sundays. Lulu's daytime fare should certainly not be ignored. The Crab Cake Benedict and Croquet Madame are absolutely to die for, pair them with a mimosa, and your day will be off to a roaring start. The two front windows let in beautiful, soft light to help you shake off sleep. Lulu is open promptly at 10:30 on the weekends and the early bird gets the omlette, so rest away your Friday and Saturday night cocktails and we'll see you in the morning.


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Paper Magazine's Restaurant of the Week!

Paper Magazine has named Lulu its Restaurant of the Week! We're honored to accept this recognition, and couldn't be prouder of Julie Besonen's wonderful write-up of our restaurant:

"Snacking menus are quite the thing these days, and Lulú delivers a good one, from buttery wild mushrooms spilling over brioche ($5) to crispy risotto fritters dunked in tomato sauce ($5). Jewel-like pickled baby beets are crowned with dollops of goat cheese ($5)....
....Chef Eric Fleischer adds farmers' market touches wherever he can, like parsnips, spinach and salsify alongside his crisp-skinned dorade ($17). A lusty and spicy pasta puttanesca ($14) is made with heirloom tomatoes and roasted garlic, the portion so generous it was impossible to finish. All of this, combined with sweet service, should put Lulú more on the map."

Thanks Julie, and we'll gladly welcome you back any time.

Check out the rest of Julie Besonen's review of Lulu at Paper Magazine's website
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Fiesta!

Lulu isn't Lulu without a community of neighbors, friends, and family. We'd love to celebrate Lulu with you on Thursday, September 25, at 7:00 PM. Bring friends, try the food and wines, and enjoy what we have to offer; we've attached an invitation And in the lead up to the event, please visit the blog, tell us what you like about Lulu, read the happenings of the restaurant, and even pick up some cooking tips and recipes courtesy of our chef Eric Fleischer. Oh, and make sure you RSVP (e-mail RSVP's to courtney@gothampr.com), we've got a lot of friends, and we need to make sure we're ready for everyone!
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A Match Made in NYC Heaven - Lulu and NoLiTa

The owners of Lulu have been in love with NoLiTa, that tiny New York neighborhood that bursts with character, for a long time. They opened their first restaurant, Bread, seven years ago in the neighborhood. So when it came time to pick a location for Lulu, what better place than NoLiTa (right around the corner from Bread, no doubt)?

NoLiTa perfectly combines the old and new of New York City - the latest and the greatest. St. Patrick's Old Cathedral, at the corner of Mott and Prince Streets, opened in 1815, and the Puck Building, built in 1885, both of which stand next to some of the most cutting edge boutiques, cafes and bars in NYC. Lulu wouldn't be Lulu if it were anywhere else

So grab a seat at one of the two Lulu tables by the front window (pictured) and watch the neighborhood pass you by - NoLiTa goes oh-so-perfectly with Lulu's food and drinks.
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“If you were to ask me if I'd ever had the bad luck to miss my daily cocktail, I'd have to say that I doubt it" - Luis Buñuel

I tend to agree with Mr. Buñuel about many things, cocktails included. In case you sometimes forget to take the time for a cocktail, let Lulu, and its mixologist Greg Seider, remind you.

Greg Seider has been mixing up drinks for years at New York institutions like Asia de Cuba, The Box, and the Mercer Kitchen. When he came to Lulu to be the resident mixologist, he wanted to pair Lulu's food with his custom cocktails, using natural herbs and syrups to make the drinks earthy, fresh, and entirely unique. Here's one of our favorites:


Tequila Mocking Bird
Partida Tequila
Fresh pinnapple
Fresh lime
Cardamon spice
Agave syrup
Serrano chili


There's a whole list of one-of-a-kind cocktails like the Thyme for Pearadise and the Melon Gimlet. Put aside your vodka tonic or martini for just one night and try one of Greg Seider's inventive cocktails.
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The Last Summer White

Summer is ending, and the warm weather might only last a few more weeks, so it might be a good time to choose a white wine with your dinner. At Lulu, there are a number of wonderful white wines, proseccos, and champagnes, but owner Lia Comandatore thinks one in particular is quite special. Lia says the Falanghina Nifo 2007, from Taburno in the Campania region of Italy, is elegant with tastes of white peach and honey aromas. Try a bottle with Lulu's marinated mixed olives. Not only flavorful, you'll feel extra good to know that the winery works with bio dynamic techniques to respect the environment. Just one more reason to order a bottle (or two).
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Do-it-at-home-Lulu

One of our favorite dishes at Lulu is the Dorade. The fish is so flavorful, the parsnips are a perfect complement, and served over polenta, we couldn't be happier. We asked Executive Chef Eric Fleischer to share his secret recipe with us:

Fillet of Dorade (about 6 or 7 ounces)
Salsafy (peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces)
2 Large Parsnip (peeled and diced)
¼ Vanilla Bean
½ Small Spanish Onion (diced)
2 Cup Vegetable Stock
Clean, Raw Spinach (about 8 ounces)
Salt and Pepper
3 T Butter
2 T cooking oil.
Fresh lemon


Sauté the onion in 1 T butter till soft.
Add parsnips and cook till semi soft.
Add one cup of vegetable stock and salt to taste and bring to a boil.
Scrape the vanilla bean and reserve the inside. Discard the pod.
Add to simmering mixture.
Puree the mixture.
In a separate pot cook the salsify on a low heat with 1 T butter and the remaining cup of vegetable stock and a pinch of salt until soft.
Wilt the spinach in 1 T butter and season with salt and pepper.
Season the Dorade fillet and pan fry skin side down on medium heat for 4 minutes until crisp. Then place the fish in a preheated 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for 3 minutes.
Finish the fillet with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

And Voila!
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You're too kind!

Here are just a few of the nice things being said about us around town:

"Swordfish ceviche + spice-rimmed tequila = happy hours, dorado + duck = lingering late night meals. Neighborhoodies out front, '70s hit songs on the speakers. Lulu’ = Nolita at its finest." - Black Book Magazine

...polished, sophisticated and peppered with a perfect amount of mid-century glamour. Offerings like petite beets with wild arugula, chevre and pistachios, and pork loin with oyster mushroom,
asparagus and cipollini onion are typical bistro fare but with a twist Manager Ijor Rajak calls "French-influenced gastropub." The entrance offers a sleek bar with a timeless look, suggesting Audrey Hepburn would be just as comfortable sipping a cocktail there as a modern-day fashionista. - Metro Mix

"Step inside and it's as if you are in a Prohibition-era cocktail lounge. Our bartender, Stephanie (who is also the owner's sister), shakes up unique cocktails like a Pineapple Margarita or a Cantaloupe Martini with fresh basil. The whole bar smells of her muddled mint and basil... beautiful restaurant with a lovely staff. Definitely worth a return visit" - The Grazer

Thanks guys, we'll keep it up.
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